Police drew gun on squirrel-hunting Jameis Winston in 2012

The Associated Press

Published: July 30, 2014

Updated: July 31, 2014 at 06:37 AM

TALLAHASSEE – Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston and Florida State teammate Chris Casher were held at gunpoint by campus police nearly two years ago while hunting squirrels with a pellet gun, police say.

Officer Anthony Gioannetti responded to a call and found the pair near a campus bike path with a long-barreled pistol. He drew his gun, pointed it at the players and shouted several times for them to get on the ground.

One of the players dropped the gun and Gioannetti kept his weapon draw until another officer handcuffed the players. The officers then determined the pistol was a pellet gun.

“They said they were shooting at squirrels along the bike trail,” Gioannetti wrote in his report. The gun was confiscated and the players were released with no charges.

The November 2012 incident was reported by USA Today today. Contacted after the report, Winston said, “Sorry sir, I’m not talking about that.”

When contacted by The Associated Press to comment, Casher originally hung up. But he called back and wanted to know why this was being reported now. He then used obscenities as he criticized USA Today for running the report.

Earlier this year, Winston was issued a civil citation after sheriff’s deputies said he walked out of a supermarket without paying for $32 worth of crab legs and crawfish.

And last year, he was investigated for allegations that he had raped a woman in December 2012. A prosecutor declined to charge him, citing a lack of evidence and gaps in the accuser’s story.

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